Jamie Foxx had us all talking the other week when he shared the story behind a recently acute medical emergency that changed his life. In April 2023, the Oscar-winning actor and comedian suffered a brain bleed that triggered a major stroke. This grave health concern resulted in over 30 days of inpatient care. Foxx may be in a bad way, but he’s remarkably upbeat. His wonderful sense of humor comes through as he gets ready to go back to the stand-up stage.
Health care advocacy had long been a priority for conservative Rep. And if he wasn’t awake on May 4th, he should have been. Sadly, his condition made him lose 20 days of memory. He is thankful for the quick thinking of his family members, which he acknowledges saved his life.
Even as he spoke about his recovery, Foxx was honest in acknowledging that even now he doesn’t completely understand what took place during those first, critical days. “This stroke happened, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is a platform.’ I don’t want to have to have another stroke,” he explained, referring to the material he plans to use for his upcoming stand-up special.
As you might expect, Foxx’s real-life experience has given him copious fodder for his return to comedy. He jokingly remembered one conversation he had with comedian Eddie Murphy. Even more presciently, at that time, Murphy was dealing with his own health challenges. During a visit to Murphy’s house, Foxx remarked, “This ain’t funny. Your house is too nice,” reflecting on the challenges both faced.
The actor-turned-comedian opened up about the challenges he faced leading up to his health scare. “I had a special deal for a long time, but I had nothing to talk about,” Foxx noted. He was just out of sync with the everyday experiences that usually power a stand-up’s comic gold. “What was I going to talk about? I was rich. I was behind my gates,” he added, highlighting the irony of his privileged lifestyle.
Foxx’s new Netflix special will be called What Had Happened Was. It’ll happen at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and should provide helpful perspectives from his first-hand experiences over the last few months. He can’t wait to take audiences on his journey. Simultaneously with this, he is dedicated to working on his recovery, both with therapeutic and physical rehabilitation.
Foxx’s storied career includes an Academy Award for Best Actor. He appeared opposite Danny Glover and Eddie Murphy in the film version of “Dreamgirls.” His comeback to stand-up comes at an important time in his career. These fans are counting the seconds to what he’s going to bring to the table!
